Pacification blanket

ABSTRACT

A comforting fabric article has a soft, flexible exterior fabric. The fabric has a pocket and markings on at least one side of the fabric forming the pocket. There is a battery-powered recording and playback device with at least one pressure sensitive contact on the device within the pocket. The pressure sensitive contact has both a playback contact and a recording function activation contact. A pressure sensitive contact is aligned with one of the markings to indicate a location of at least one pressure sensitive contact within the fabric.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of fabrics articles andfabric articles that contain audio emissions systems that can providesoothing audio emissions that are provided on demand.

2. Background of the Art

Numerous toys have been provided over the years that provide speech upondemand. One of the earliest verbal toys was the “Chatty Kathy” ® dollthat operated by pulling a string, which then retracted to play arecorded message on wires that moved across a sound emitting system.More recently, the “Tickle Me Elmo”® doll emitted prerecorded soundsupon stimulation, the doll being battery operated. IN about 1990, dollswere commercially available in which when the hand of the doll wassqueezed, a battery-operated recording device was activated and anysound immediately rendered in the vicinity of the doll was recorded fora single time repetition. These devices have been provided forentertainment purposes, with no functionality.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,259 (Sedaros) describes a baby calmer kit thatsimulates a mother's heartbeat. The actual heartbeat may be recorded andthe device, attached to the crib, provides a soothing sound to the babyto soothe it with the sound of the heartbeat. The device may be set toemit sounds on demand or at a time set in the device.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,811 (Fomarelli) teaches the inclusion of a heartbeat simulator into a foam form which is inserted into a baby blanketwith access provided through n opening such as a zipper. The device isactivated and then placed into the blanket.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,486 (Keller) describes a tranquilizing bed thatprovides both gentle and controllable movement as well as soothingsounds to provide a tranquil environment for a baby or mental patient.This may be provided as a toy, bed or blanket.

These devices provide amusement or benefit, but do not provide the easeof control and use desirable in other applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fabric material is provided with a device having recording andplayback functionality inserted and removable therefrom. The device isinserted and retained within the periphery of the fabric material, suchas a blanket. There is a sound activation point(s) on the inserteddevice, and that sound activation device is aligned with the soundactivation point. There is a recording function activation area or pointthat may be hidden, protected and/or separately identified on theexterior of the fabric. In a preferred embodiment, the recordingactivation function may be accessible only through removal of the devicefrom the fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a blanket with the recording playback device embeddedtherein.

FIG. 2 shows the recording playback device that is removably embedded inthe fabric of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A fabric material, preferably a fabric material with pleasing tactilesensations (such as chamois, soft microfibers, fabric with a silkcovering, and the like) is provided with a device having recording andplayback functionality inserted and removable therefrom. The device,described in greater detail hereafter, is removeably inserted,positioned and retained within the periphery of the fabric material,such as a blanket. The device must be placed in the periphery or withina cushioned, more interior area, so that the rigidity of the device willnot cause an undesirable feel to the fabric material. Additionally, bypositioning the device close to the periphery, with less distance totravel to an interior area, there is likely to be better alignment withmarkings on the fabric exterior identifying functional elements on thedevice.

There is a sound activation point(s) on the inserted device, and thatsound activation device is aligned with the sound activation point.There is a recording function activation area or point that may behidden, protected and/or separately identified on the exterior of thefabric. In a preferred embodiment, the recording activation function maybe accessible only through removal of the device from the fabric.

DEFINITIONS AND METHODS OF FABRIC MANUFACTURE USED HEREIN INCLUDE

a) “Air permeable” or “Breathable” means fabrics which are capable ofacting as a barrier to particulate matter, water, and other liquids yetwhich allow water vapor and air to pass therethrough. Such fabrics maybe referred to as “breathable barriers.” Articles or products made usingbreathable fabrics are generally more comfortable to wear or use sincethe migration of water vapor through the fabric helps to reduce and/oreliminate discomfort resulting from excess moisture trapped against theskin.

(b) “Bonded carded fabric or web”, “bonded carded web”, and “bondedcarded fabric” refer to fabric or webs made from staple fibers which aresent through a combing or carding unit, which individualizes and alignsthe staple fibers in the machine direction to form a generally machinedirection-oriented fibrous nonwoven web. Such fibers are usuallypurchased in bales which are placed in a picker which separates thefibers prior to the carding unit. Once the web or fabric is formed, itis then bonded by one or more of several known bonding methods. One suchbonding method is powder bonding, wherein a powdered adhesive isdistributed through the web or fabric and then activated, usually byheating the fabric and adhesive with hot air. Another suitable bondingmethod is pattern bonding, wherein heated calendar rolls or ultrasonicbonding equipment are used to bond the fibers together, usually in alocalized bond pattern, though the fabric can be bonded across itsentire surface if so desired. Another suitable and well-known bondingmethod, particularly when using bi-component staple fibers, isthrough-air bonding.

(c) “Disposable” includes being discarded of after use, and not intendedto be washed and reused.

(d) “Fabric” is used to refer to all of the woven, knitted, and nonwovenwebs.

(e) “Flexible” refers to materials or fabrics that are compliant andreadily conform to the general shape and contours of an individual'sbody.

(f) “Hydrophilic” describes fibers or surfaces of fibers that are wettedby the aqueous liquids in contact with the fibers. The degree of wettingof the materials can be described in terms of contact angles and thesurface tensions of the liquids and materials involved. Equipment andtechniques suitable for measuring the wettability of particular fibermaterials or blends of fiber materials can be provided by a Cahn SFA-222Surface Force Analyzer System. When measured with this system, fibershaving contact angles less than 90 degrees are designated “wettable”,i.e., “hydrophilic”, and fibers having contact angles greater than 90degrees are “nonwettable”, i.e., “hydrophobic.”

(g) “Joining”, “join”, “joined”, or variations thereof, when used indescribing the relationship between two or more elements, means that theelements can be connected together in any suitable manner, such as byheat sealing, ultrasonic bonding, thermal bonding, adhesives, stitching,or the like. Further, the elements can be joined directly together, ormay have one or more elements interposed between them, all of which areconnected together. The elements forming the interior of the pockets canbe permanently or refastenably joined together. The entrance to pocketson the blanket for accepting the recording and playback device should berefastenable as with hook and loop (e.g., Velcro® fasteners) systems,buttons, zippers, or other physical locking systems that can secure thedevice within the pocket.

(h) “Meltblown fibers” means fibers formed by extruding a moltenthermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular,die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging highvelocity, usually hot gas (e.g., air) streams which attenuate thefilaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter,which may be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibersare carried by the high velocity gas stream and are deposited on acollecting surface to form a web of randomly disbursed meltblown fibers.Such a process is disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241issued to Butin et al. which is incorporated herein by reference.Meltblown fibers are microfibers which may be continuous ordiscontinuous, are generally smaller than 10 microns in averagediameter, and are generally tacky when deposited onto a collectingsurface. Many synthetic polymers can be used in this process such aspolyesters fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, viscose fibersand the like.

(i) “Multi-layer laminate” means a laminate wherein some of the layersare spunbond and some are meltblown having a configuration such asspunbond/meltblown/spunbond (SMS) laminate and others as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 4,041,203 issued to Brock et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,706issued to Collier et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,727 issued to Potts etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,931 issued to Perkins, et al.; and, U.S. Pat.No. 5,188,885 issued to Timmons et al., all of which are incorporatedherein by reference. Such a laminate may be made by sequentiallydepositing onto a moving forming belt first a spunbond fabric layer,then a meltblown fabric layer and last another spunbond layer and thenbonding the laminate in a manner described below. Alternatively, thefabric layers may be made individually, collected in rolls, and combinedin a separate bonding step. Such fabrics usually have a basis weight offrom about 0.1 osy to about 12 osy (6 to 400 gsm), or more particularlyfrom about 0.75 osy to about 3 osy. Multi-layer laminates may also havevarious numbers of meltblown layers or multiple spunbond layers in maydifferent configurations and may include other materials like films orcoform materials.

j) “Nonwoven fabric or web”, “nonwoven web”, and “nonwoven fabric” meana web having a structure of individual fibers or threads which areinterlaid, but not in an identifiable manner as in a knitted fabric.Nonwoven fabrics or webs have been formed from many processes such as,for example, meltblowing processes, spunbonding processes, and bondedcarded web processes. The basis weight of nonwoven fabrics is usuallyexpressed in ounces of material per square yard (osy) or grams persquare meter (gsm) and the fiber diameters are usually expressed inmicrons.

(k) “Polymer” generally includes but is not limited to, homopolymers,copolymers, such as for example, block, graft, random and alternatingcopolymers, terpolymers, etc. and blends and modifications thereof.Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term “polymer”shall include all possible geometrical configuration of the material.These configurations include, but are not limited to isotactic,syndiotactic and random symmetries.

(l) “Spunbonded fibers” refers to small diameter fibers which are formedby extruding molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a pluralityof fine, usually circular capillaries or spinneret with the diameter ofthe extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced as methods discussed,for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563 issued to Appel et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 3,692,618 issued to Dorschner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817issued to Matsuki et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,992 and 3,341,394 issuedto Kinney; U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,763 issued to Hartman; and, U.S. Pat. No.3,542,615 issued to Dobo et al., all of which are incorporated herein byreference. Spunbond fibers are generally not tacky when they aredeposited onto a collecting surface. Spunbond fibers are generallycontinuous and have average diameters (from a sample of at least 10)larger than about 7 microns, more particularly, between about 10 andabout 20 microns.

(m) “Stitchbonded” means, for example, the stitching of a material inaccordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,957 issued to Strack et al. or U.S.Pat. No. 4,631,933 issued to Carey, Jr, all of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

(n) “Stretch bonded laminate” (“SBL”) refers to a composite materialhaving at least two layers in which one layer is a gatherable layer andthe other layer is a stretchable, that is, elastic, layer. The layersare joined together when the stretchable layer is in a stretchedcondition so that upon relaxing the layers, the layers gather.

(o) “Thermal point bonding” involves passing a fabric or web of fibersto be bonded between a heated calender roll and an anvil roll. Thecalender roll is usually, though not always, patterned in some way sothat the entire fabric is not bonded across its entire surface. As aresult, various patterns for calender rolls have been developed forfunctional as well as aesthetic reasons. One example of a pattern haspoints and is the Hansen pattern with about a 30% bond area with about200 bonds/square inch as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,046 issued toHansen et al. The resulting pattern has a bonded area of about 10-30%.

(p) “Ultrasonic bonding” means a process performed, for example, bypassing the fabric between a sonic horn and anvil roll as illustrated inU.S. Pat. No. 4,374,888 issued to Bornslaeger.

Additionally, the web of fabric may comprise monocomponent orbicomponent spunbond fibers. Generally, methods for making spunbondfiber nonwoven or woven webs of fabric include extruding moltenthermoplasic polymer through a spinneret, quenching the filaments, andthen drawing the quenched filaments with a stream of high velocity airto form a web of randomly arrayed fibers on a collecting surface orother method of handling to form a woven web of fabric. As examples,methods for making the nonwoven webs of fabric are described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,692,618 issued to Dorschner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563issued to Appel et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 issued to Matsukiet al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Monocomponent fibers may be formed from one or more extruders using onlyone polymer. This is not meant to exclude fibers formed from one polymerto which small amounts of additives have been added for coloration,anti-static properties, lubrication, hydrophilicity, etc. Theseadditives, e.g. titanium dioxide for coloration, are generally presentin an amount less than 5 weight percent and more typically about 2weight percent.

Bicomponent fibers, also referred to as biconsitutuent, conjugate, ormulticonstituent fibers, are discussed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No.5,108,827 issued to Gessner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,820 issued to Kaneko etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,552 issued to Strack et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No.5,382,400 issued to Pike et al., all of which are incorporated herein byreference. For two component fibers, the polymers may be present inratios of 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 or any other desired ratios. Such fibersare also discussed in the textbook Polymer Blends and Composites by JohnA. Manson and Leslie H. Sperling, copyright 1976 by Plenum Press, adivision of Plenum Publishing Corporation of New York, IBSN0-306-30831-2, at pages 273 through 277.

Such multicomponent spunbond fibers may be formed from at least twopolymer streams but spun together to form a unitary fiber. Theindividual components comprising the multicomponent fiber are usuallydifferent polymers and are arranged in distinct zones or regions thatextend continuously along the length of the fibers. The configuration ofsuch fibers can vary and commonly the individual components of the fibercan be positioned in a side-by-side arrangement, sheath/corearrangement, pie or wedge arrangement, islands-in-sea arrangement and soforth. Multicomponent fibers and methods of making the same are known inthe art, an by way of example only, are described in U.S. Pat. No.5,382,400 issued to Pike et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,339 issued toStokes et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,004 issued to Cook, all of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

The web of fiber may also comprise hollow fibers as discussed in U.S.Pat. No. 3,772,137 issued to Tolliver, all of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

Robertson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,466) and Groshens et al. (U.S.Pat. No. 5,236,771) teach methods of construction microfiber blankets,including polyester microfiber blankets that would be useful in thepractice of the present technology.

Structure Descriptions

The blanket or cover or decorative system of the present technology ispreferably a portable structure, with dimensions of less than 2 meterslength and width, preferably less than 1 meter in length and width. Theincluded recording device and player system is electronic andbattery-operated, preferably with a solid state recording system, asopposed to magnetic tape recording.

The fabric material of the blanket should be comfortably tactile toassist in the overall tranquilizing effect of the system. Thecombination of soft, tactile feel (as is provided by microfibers,chamois, sateen, silk and other soft fabric materials and the recordablesounds that are selected for soothing effects are effective in providinga prolonged tranquilizing effect on a user.

It is important that the sounds be recordable as opposed topreprogrammed to add flexibility and range to the use of the system. Forexample, parents may record their voices for replay to children andchange their voices, sounds, and words according to different growthstages for the child. Songs and lullabies may be entered to inducesleep, encouraging phrase may be used to reinforce potty training,calming phrase and songs may be used to console a child after a loss orto give support during stressful times such as the start of school. Asignificant benefit is the ability for the user to access the recordingson demand. In this manner, if the child is alone, the recording can beaccessed when alone or does not have the individual around whose supportis desired.

An alternative user class is persons dealing with stress, drug habitissues, compulsive disorders or even mental disorders. A significantmollifying or tranquilizing effect is provided by voices and phrasesdesigned for use with specific individuals. The user may providerecorded messages to himself or herself, a therapist may providerecordings for specific stages of treatment or counseling, hypnotistsmay provide key triggering phrases, relatives may provide words ofencouragement, any of which may be accessed by the user on demand.

The device is embedded in a fabric material of the selected size, thefabric material or construction having a pocket or restraining area foraccepting the recording device within the fabric in a restrained areathat is marked on at least one surface of the fabric to identify aspecific point where contact will activate the playing function ondemand. The device should be covered by fabric on both sides of thedevice so that exposure of hard surfaces is avoided. Reference to thefigures will assist in appreciating the invention further.

FIG. 1 shows a blanket 2 with the recording playback device 4 embeddedtherein. A pocket 6 is shown that accepts the device 4 in a restrainingrelationship so that it does not migrate out of alignment with thesymbols 8 and 10 on the surface of the fabric blanket 2. A first symbol8 represents the player activation point on the device 4 and symbol 10represents a volume control 10 that changes with repeated clicks on thebutton. An optional feature on the device 4 is an extension arm 12 thatfits into a unique position within a mated pocket section 14 so that thedevice 4 can be inserted in only a single orientation so that the device4 surface with functional contacts is in alignment with the markings(e.g., at least 8 and 10) on the blanket 2. The blanket should be airbreathable, as these systems may be used by people with more limited orundeveloped skills where smothering would be an issue with a more denseand less permeable material. The fabric should also be machine washable,as opposed to only dry cleanable, which would increase the cost of use.

FIG. 2 shows the recording playback device 4 that is removably embeddedin the fabric blanket 4 of FIG. 1. Various switches, buttons andfunctions are shown on the device 4. Shown on the device 4 are symbol 8a representing the player activation point on the device 4 and symbol 10a representing a volume control that changes with repeated clicks on thebutton. Also shown is a record function activation contact 16 which maybe accessed through a hole 18 that cannot be readily accessed when thedevice 4 is positioned within the blanket 2.

The messages on a blanket may be a parent's voice speaking, singing orhumming to relax a child as one preferred embodiment. Another preferredembodiment is the use of phrases or lessons to influence behavior of thelistener on demand, the voice being provided by an individual trusted bythe user, such as a family member, caregiver, medical practitioner,social worker, health practitioner (such as a counselor or therapist),teacher and the like.

1. A fabric article comprising a soft, flexible fabric having a pockettherein, markings on at least one side of the fabric forming the pocket,and a battery-powered recording and playback device with at least onepressure sensitive contact on the device, the at least one pressuresensitive contact comprising a playback contact, and the at least onepressure sensitive contact being aligned with one of the markings thatindicates a location of the at least one pressure sensitive contactwithin the fabric.
 2. The fabric article of claim 1 comprising a blankethaving both length and width of 1 meter or less.
 3. The fabric articleof claim 1 wherein the pocket releasably closes to prevent the devicefrom being able to freely move out of the pocket.
 4. The fabric articleof claim 3 wherein inside dimensions of the pocket when closed do notexceed length and width dimensions of the device by more than 15%. 5.The fabric article of claim 1 wherein fabric material comprises amicrofiber fabric.
 6. The fabric article of claim 1 wherein fabricmaterial comprises a microfiber polyester fabric.
 7. The fabric articleof claim 3 wherein fabric material comprises a microfiber fabric.
 8. Thefabric article of claim 7 wherein inside dimensions of the pocket whenclosed do not exceed length and width dimensions of the device by morethan 15%.
 9. The fabric article of claim 7 wherein the an edge of thedevice is located within 2 cm of an edge of the fabric.
 10. The fabricarticle of claim 1 wherein the pocket has a ledge and the device has anarm so that there is only a single way of inserting the device into thepocket to align the playback contact with a marker on the fabricidentifying a location of the playback contact.
 11. The fabric articleof claim 2 wherein the pocket has a ledge and the device has an arm sothat there is only a single way of inserting the device into the pocketto align the playback contact with a marker on the fabric identifying alocation of the playback contact.
 12. The fabric article of claim 4wherein the pocket has a ledge and the device has an arm so that thereis only a single way of inserting the device into the pocket to alignthe playback contact with a marker on the fabric identifying a locationof the playback contact.
 13. The fabric article of claim 5 wherein thepocket has a ledge and the device has an arm so that there is only asingle way of inserting the device into the pocket to align the playbackcontact with a marker on the fabric identifying a location of theplayback contact.